HIVE Blockchain Doubles Global Mining Capacity with Acquisition of 30 MW Bitcoin Operation in Canada

VANCOUVER, March 30, 2020 /CNW/ - HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (TSX.V:HIVE) (OTCQX:HVBTF) (the "Company" or "HIVE") is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire a dedicated cryptocurrency mining operation with access to 30 megawatts ("MW") of low cost green power at a leased facility located in Lachute, Quebec (the "Facility") from Cryptologic Corp. for a total purchase price of approximately C$4.0 million (the "Acquisition").  Pursuant to the Agreement, HIVE will satisfy the purchase price through the issuance of 15,000,000 common shares ("HIVE Shares") to Cryptologic at a deemed price of C$0.20 per HIVE Share and C$1,000,000 in cash, subject to a working capital adjustment.

"This is an important strategic acquisition for HIVE that diversifies our business significantly, and we are making it at an opportune time at an attractive valuation for our shareholders," said Frank Holmes, Interim Executive Chairman of HIVE. "The Acquisition provides us with an advanced, operating Bitcoin mining facility ready to transition to next generation mining hardware with access to some of the lowest cost electricity on the planet. The cost of US$95,000 per MW is less than half the industry standard build cost per MW.

"Additionally, the Acquisition provides us with direct control of our destiny, including significant capacity for expansion and flexibility for our future operations," added Mr. Holmes. "Along with our recent assumption of full control of our Swedish operations and planned expansion there, and the recent suspension of our cloud mining operations, it is consistent with our focus over the past 18 months to strengthen our operational control of HIVE including improving transparency, accountability and financial controls, and improving our operational efficiency including optimizing our cost structure to set the foundations for profitable growth. In addition, it is in line with the Company's green energy strategy as the Facility is powered entirely by renewable hydroelectricity, thereby maintaining our 100% green energy powered operations globally."

The Acquisition will more than double HIVE's total available power capacity globally to approximately 50 MW, placing it among the largest of any publicly-listed cryptocurrency miner, and provide significant diversification to the Company's business both geographically and by blockchain network. HIVE's European GPU-mining operations are currently mining on the Ethereum network, while the Facility in Quebec is able to support miners on the Bitcoin network.

The fully operational, state-of-the-art Facility features US$0.04/kWh electricity costs and its primary assets include 30 MW of HVAC and electrical infrastructure that is unique to cryptocurrency mining, triple redundancy systems for power and internet connectivity, operational staff, and approximately 14,000 Bitmain S9 miners that are currently installed, which provide about 173 Petahashes of SHA 256 Bitcoin mining computing power and utilize a portion of the Facility's power capacity. Due to the Facility's low electricity prices, these miners generate positive gross mining marginsⁱ under current market conditions. However, the value of the Acquisition is based primarily on the Facility's power capacity and cryptocurrency mining assets. HIVE intends to invest in next generation miners and potentially act as host for third-party miners to maximize utilization of the Facility's power capacity. The Company also anticipates exercising an option to extend the term of the Facility lease for an additional five years commencing on or about the closing of the transaction.

The Acquisition has been approved by HIVE's Board of Directors and the board of directors and the shareholders of Cryptologic, and remains subject to customary closing conditions including receipt of regulatory approvals. The Acquisition is expected to close on the date that is the later of: (a) Friday April 3, 2020; and (b) the date that is two business days after the date that the TSX Venture Exchange provides conditional approval of the transaction. Following the Acquisition, Cryptologic will own approximately 4% of HIVE's common shares. The HIVE Shares are subject to customary resale and transfer restrictions.

HIVE is currently one of the world's largest public miners on the Ethereum blockchain and this acquisition places HIVE among the world's larger publicly-listed miners of Bitcoin. The newly acquired Bitcoin mining facility in Quebec diversifies the Company's existing portfolio, which includes a facility in Sweden that comprises the bulk of HIVE's Ethereum-focused GPU mining operations and a smaller Ethereum-focused mining facility in Iceland. As announced recently, HIVE is expanding its operation in Sweden by 20% over the next two quarters.

About HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd.

HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. is a growth oriented, TSX.V-listed company building a bridge from the blockchain sector to traditional capital markets. HIVE owns state-of-the-art GPU-based digital currency mining facilities in Iceland and Sweden, which produce newly minted digital currencies like Ethereum continuously. Our deployments provide shareholders with exposure to the operating margins of digital currency mining as well as a growing portfolio of crypto-coins.

For more information and to register to HIVE's mailing list, please visit www.HIVEblockchain.com. Follow @HIVEblockchain on Twitter and subscribe to HIVE's YouTube channel.

On Behalf of HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd.

"Frank Holmes"

Interim Executive Chairman

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Information

Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking information, including the proposed acquisition and benefits of the cryptocurrency mining operation located in Lachute, Quebec; and the intentions, plans and future actions of the Company, as well as the Company's ability to successfully mine digital currency, the construction and operation of expanded blockchain infrastructure, and the regulatory environment of cryptocurrency in the United States and other jurisdictions where the Company may operate.

This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time it was made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others: the COVID 19 crisis; the transaction described in this news release may not occur on the terms as proposed and described herein or at all and, if such transaction is completed, the cryptocurrency operation may not meet expected performance levels for one or more reasons;  the proposed transaction may not have a positive impact on HIVE's revenues, or gross mining margin; the impact of new electrical power rates which could impair profitability and operating performance; the operation of the acquired assets may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine digital currency; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current digital currency inventory, or at all; a decline in digital currency prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of digital currency prices; the Company may never realize more efficient operations, a lower cost structure, or greater flexibility in operation; risks relating to the global economic climate; dilution; and other related risks as more fully set out in the Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for the year ended March 31, 2019, and other documents disclosed under the Company's filings at www.sedar.com. The Company has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of the Company's normal course of business. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward -looking information other than as required by law.

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ⁱ Gross mining margin equates to income from digital mining less operating and maintenance costs and is a non-IFRS measure

SOURCE HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd.

Frank Holmes, Tel: [phone]